Wessex Trains facts for kids
| Franchise(s): | Wessex 14 October 2001 – 31 March 2006 |
|---|---|
| Main {{{nameforarea}}}(s): | South West England |
| Other {{{nameforarea}}}(s): | South East England, South Wales |
| Fleet size: | 70 |
| Stations called at: | 161 |
| Stations operated: | 125 |
| National Rail abbreviation: | WE |
| Parent company: | National Express |
Wessex Trains was a company that ran trains in the United Kingdom. It was owned by National Express. Wessex Trains operated its services from October 2001 until March 2006. After that, its services were combined with other train networks to form a bigger one called the Greater Western franchise.
Contents
History of Wessex Trains
From Wales & West to Wessex Trains
Before Wessex Trains, another company called Wales & West ran trains. They operated services in Wales and the West Country of England. Their routes also reached big cities like Liverpool, Manchester, and London.
In 2001, the government's rail authority decided to change how train services were organized. They split the Wales & West services into two new parts. One part became Wessex Trains in October 2001.
Wessex Trains kept the routes in the West Country. The Welsh routes went to a new company called Wales & Borders. However, Wessex Trains still ran some trains to Cardiff.
Train Routes and Services
Where Wessex Trains Went
Wessex Trains ran most of the local trains in the South West of England. You can see their main routes on a map.
Their trains traveled from places like Great Malvern and Cardiff. They went to coastal towns such as Brighton, Portsmouth, Weymouth, and Penzance.
They also operated trains on several smaller, scenic lines, including:
- Atlantic Coast Line (from Par to Newquay)
- Avocet Line (from Exeter to Exmouth)
- Golden Valley Line (from Swindon to Gloucester)
- Heart of Wessex Line (from Westbury to Weymouth)
- Looe Valley Line (from Liskeard to Looe)
- Maritime Line (from Truro to Falmouth)
- Riviera Line (from Exeter to Paignton)
- Severn Beach Line (from Bristol to Severn Beach)
- St Ives Bay Line (from St Erth to St Ives)
- Tamar Valley Line (from Plymouth to Gunnislake)
- Tarka Line (from Exeter to Barnstaple)
Types of Trains Used
The Wessex Trains Fleet
Wessex Trains used several types of trains that they received from the previous company, Wales & West. These included:
From 2002, Wessex Trains also rented some Class 31 locomotives. These were used to pull Mark 2 carriages on certain routes. These routes included services from Cardiff and Bristol to Brighton and Weymouth.
| Train Class | Image | Type | Top Speed | Number | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | km/h | |||||
| 143 Pacer |  |
Diesel multiple unit | 75 | 120 | 8 | 1985–1986 |
| 150 Sprinter | |
25 | 1984–1987 | |||
| 153 Super Sprinter |  |
13 | 1987–1988 | |||
| 158 Express Sprinter |  |
90 | 145 | 12 | 1989–1992 | |
| Mark 2 carriage |  |
Passenger carriage | 100 | 160 | 5 | 1969–1975 |
Train Maintenance Depots
The trains used by Wessex Trains were kept and repaired at two main depots. These were the Cardiff Canton depot and the Exeter depot.
End of Wessex Trains
Joining a Bigger Network
In 2002, the Strategic Rail Authority decided to reorganize train services again. They announced that three train companies would combine. These were Great Western, Thames Trains, and Wessex Trains. They would all become part of a new, larger network called the Greater Western franchise. This was done to reduce the number of different train companies operating from London.
The Department for Transport chose FirstGroup to run the new Greater Western franchise on December 13, 2005. All the services that Wessex Trains operated then moved to First Great Western on April 1, 2006. This marked the end of Wessex Trains as a separate company.
